Draft and buffing device



Dec. 29, 1936. W, M. SHEEHAN 2,065,616

DRAFT AND BUFFINQDEVICE Filed April 4, 1952 Patented Dec. 29, 1936 DRAFT AND BUFFING DEVICE William M. Sheehan, Merion, Pa., assignor to General Steel Castings Corporation, Granite City, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Applicata@ Apr-i1 4, 1932, serial No. 602,925

11 Claims.

The invention relates to a novel device for transferring draft and bufling forces between adjacent vehicles and in the vehicle framing structure associated therewith. The invention 5 is adapted for railway cars and particularly for mine cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple effective device for applying the draft and buing forces to the vehicle framing at points spaced transversely of the end of the vehicle framing and preferably to apply both draft and buing forces at the same level.

Another object f the invention is to provide a vehicle end sill and associated draft and buffing device which will cooperate to yieldingly transmit the longitudinal forces to and from each other with a minimum amount of inter-` connecting elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide 20 a device of the class described which shall be easy to manufacture and to apply to the vehicle, or to disassemble for repair purposes.

These and other detail objects of the invention are attained by the structures shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is in part a top View and in part a horizontal section through a portion of the end of a mine car embodying the invention, the view and section being taken on line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a front View andtransverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4, and are vertical longitudinal detail sections taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 1.

The drawing illustrates the end portion of a mine car of the type described in my cepending application Serial No. 596,687, filed February 23, 1932, which preferably embodies a iioor I having integral therewith an end wall forming the back wall 2 of the end sill which includes horizontal flanges 3 and 4 projecting forwardly from wall 2 and with their outer edges joined throughout a substantial portion of their length by the forward walls 5. Preferably the outer edges of flanges 3 and 4V areV reinforced with suitabale ribs 6. The car floor I may include box-like or U-shaped corrugations l forming longitudinal sills. 1

The end sill and flanges 3 and 4 form a housing for receiving the draft and bufng device which includes a draftbeam 8 extending transversely of the line ofY draft with its end por- 55 tions forming seats for springs 9. A buffer beam l!) extends transversely of the line of draft similarly to draft beam 8 and its end portions fo-rm seatsv for springs 9 opposing the seats on beam Both beams 8 and IU are of channel-like section, beam 8 having spaced horizontal flanges II and beam I0 having similar flanges I2 spaced a greater distance apart and adapted to receive between them the central portions I3 of flanges Vertical bolts I4 extend through elongated openings I5 in flanges I2 and through the end sill flanges 3 and 4 and serve as anchoring means for the draft and buiiing device.

The rear face of draft beam 8 normally abuts the front face of wall 2 and the inner ends of openings I5 normally abut bolts I4 (see Figure 5), springs 9 normally holding the beams in the position mentioned.

A draw bar I6 is inserted through an opening il formed in the web of beam IIl and projects into the space between flanges II of beam 8. A draw bar pin I8 extends through draw bar I6 and ilanges I I.

as extending also through flanges In the drawing, pin I8 is shown I2 o-f the buffer beam and the flanges 3 and 4 of the end sill, but this extension is for convenience only and is not required for the functioning of the device.

A chain or a single link may be sub- Wall 2.

When a draft force is transmitted from one car to the other, draw bar i6 through pin I8 will move draft beam 8 away from the end sill, compressing springs 9 against their seats in beam Iii and thereby yieldingly transmitting the draft force through pins I4 to the end sill flanges 3 and 4.

The Velongated opening I 9 in draw bar I6 accommodates telescoping of the beams due to buliing forces, and the elongated openings 2t in central portions I3 of flanges II accommodate telescoping of the beams due to draft forces.

The device described is simple, compact and effective, transmits allv of the longitudinal forces on the same horizontal plane and distributes these forces along the end sill.

The device is well protected by the end sill structure, yet does not require undesirable extensions of the end sill structure in order to form a suitable housing.

Many of the details of the structure may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention and I contemplate the exclusive use of all modifications coming within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination, a draft beam of channel section extending transversely of the line of draft, a similarly extending buffer beam of channel sect-ion opposing the channel section of said draft beam, springs compressed between said beams, a portion of the flanges of said beams overlying each other, and other portions of said flanges on said beams being spaced apart horizontally, a draft pin extending through the overlying portions of said flanges, and anchoring means for said buffer beam independent of said draft beam extending through the other portions of said buffer beam flanges.

2. In combination, a railway vehicle end sill including a rear wall and an outwardly projecting ange, a draft beam positioned to abut said rear wall and movable to and from the same, a buffer beam opposing said draft beam, compression springs between said beams, transversely spaced anchoring means rigidly secured to said ange and extending through loosely fitting openings in said buffer beam, a removable draw bar extending through said buffer beam, and a removable draw bar connecting pin extending through loosely fitting openings in said draft beam and said draw bar.

3. In combination, a railway vehicle end sill including an elongated box-like portion having a restricted opening in its forward wall, a draft and bufhng device housed by said sill and including a buffer beam projecting through said opening and a draft beam spaced inwardly from said buffer beam, compression springs between said beams, means spaced longitudinally of said end sill and anchoring said buffer beam to `the upper and lower walls of said box-like portion independently of said draft beam to limit outward movement of said buffer beam, and a draw bar v secured to said draft beam and projecting through an opening provided therefor in said buffer beam.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3 in which the springs and draw bar are disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane.

5. In combination, a railway vehicle end sill of box-like structure having an opening in its forward wall, a draft and bufng device mounted in said sill and including a bufng member projecting through said opening and extending across the longitudinal center line of the vehicle and a draft transmitting element extending through the center of said bufong member, yielding means between said bui-ling member and draft element, lost motion means anchoring said buifng member to transversely spaced points on the top and bottom walls of said sill, and lost motion draw bar connecting means on said draft member between said anchoring means.

6. In combination, a railway vehicle end sill, a channel-shaped draft beam extending longitudinally of the sill and across the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, springs seated on said member at points spaced from and on opposite sides of said longitudinal center line, a channelshaped bufhng member with horizontal flanges extending longitudinally of the sill and between and engaging said springs, means anchoring said buing member to said end sill independently of said draft beam, and a draft element extending through the web of said buihng beam, and means extending through openings therefor in the anges of said beam and member for securing said draft element to said sill, said openings being enlarged to free said means and draw bar from the thrust of said springs.

'7. In a device of the class described, channelshaped draft and buffer members disposed transversely of the line of draft, the central portions of the anges of said members overlapping and there being elongated openings through the central portions of all of said flanges and through the outer portions of said buffer flanges respectively, springs compressed between the outer portions of said members, a draw bar connecting element extending through first mentioned openings and movable therein without moving said buffer member, and anchoring elements extending through said buffer member openings and substantially spaced from said draft member.

8. In combination, a railway vehicle end sill, a buffer beam in front of said end sill, means anchoring said buffer beam to said end sill but providing for relative movement of the same, a draft beam between said end sill and buffer beam arranged to abut said end sill, springs compressed between said beams, a draw bar extending through said buier beam, and a draw bar pin for securing said draw bar to said draft beam, said pin being insertable and removable through slots in said beams and free of thrust from said springs.

9. In a combined draft and bufling gear for cars, the combination with supporting means on the end of the car; of a yoke having forwardly extending top and bottom arms; a buimg head; guide means on the buiiing head slidingly accommodating said top and bottom arms; guide means on said supporting means slidingly accommodating the rear portion of the bufling head; additional guide means on said supporting means slidingly accommodating the rear end portion of the yoke; and shock absorbing means within the yoke yieldingly opposing relative movement of the bufiing head and yoke toward each other.

10. In a combined draft and bufling gear for a car, the combination with a supporting member; of a movable bufling head slidable with respect to said supporting member; means for limiting outward movement of said bufng head and holding the same assembled with the supporting member; a yoke slidable with respect to the supporting member, said yoke having top and bottom arms guided within the bufling head; a coupling pin extending through the buiing head and the arms of the yoke, said yoke being movable with said pin in draft and said pin being movable in a direction lengthwise of the car with respect to the bung head; and means within the yoke yieldingly opposing relative movement of the yoke and bufflng head.

11. In a combined draft and bumng gear for a car, the combination with a supporting member on the end of the car; of a yoke movable lengthwise of the car, said yoke having top and bottom arms; a buffing head enclosing said yoke arms, said head being slidably mounted on said supporting member; cushioning means yieldingly opposing relative movement of the yoke and bufiing head; and means for connecting the yoke to a coupling link.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. 

